Control mechanism for motor driven fluid measuring apparatus



J. LODER Feb. ms;

CONTROL MECI-MNISM FOR MOTOR DRIVEN FLUID MEASURING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 18, 1940. 4 Sheets-Sheet l 1 7 fi l 9 A. 4 5 v W m "w r r Jul Feb 23,13 2 J, LQDER 2,311,905

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOTbR DRIVEN FLUID MEASURING AEPARATUS Filed Jan: 18, 1940 4 Sheets- Sheet 2 J. LODER 2,311,905 CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOTOR DRIVEN FLUID MEASURING APPARATUS Feb. 23, 1943.

Filed Jan. 18, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 23, 1943. LODER 2,311,905

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOTOR DRIVEN FLUID MEASURING APPARATUS Filed-.Jan. 18, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I hyekfi/j Johan Lode/1 I Whey.

Patented Feb. 23, 1943 CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOTOR DRIVEN FLUID MEASURING APPARATUS Johan Loder, Wassenaar, Netherlands; vested in the Allen Property Custodian Application January 18, 1940, Serial No. 814,551 In the Netherlands January 17, 1939 3Claims.

This invention relates to means for putting into and out of operation, and for resetting to zero, motor driven computing mechanism, more especially in liquid dispensing apparatus such as a gasoline filling-station pump.

In apparatus of the kind referred to, it is ordinary practice for the liquid that is to be dispensed, to be forced, by a motor driven pump, through a meter provided with computing mechanism, for instance a counter, whereby the quantity of liquid delivered by the meter is designated.

Ordinarily, the apparatus is fitted with handles by means of which, after the dispensing of a desired quantity of liquid, the motor is stopped, and the counter first disengaged from the meter and thereafter reset to zero. When a fresh designated quantity of liquid is to be dispensed, it is necessary, by means of said handles, first to reestablish the operative association of the counter with the meter, and thereafterto switch in the motor.

Known apparatus of this kind permit mistakes to be made and fraud to be practised by the man in charge. For instance, after the dispensing of a designated quantity to one purchaser, the motor can be switched in, with a view to dispensing a fresh quantity to a second purchaser, without the counter having been reset to zero. In that case, after the dispensing of the fresh quantity, *the counter will designate the sum of both quanments for operatively associating the counter with and disengaging. it from the meter and for resetting it to zero, and for putting the motor in and out, of interlocking means preventing the motor, after being switchedout, from being again started unless the counter has first been disengaged from the meter, reset to zero and reassociated with. the meter.

If the apparatus is fitted with two separate handles, the one for switching the motor in and out, the other for putting the counter into and out of operation and for resetting it to zero, the invention provides for locking means preventing the first handle from being moved to its in" 7 coupled, through suitable mechanism, both with the element for putting the counter into and out of operation and for resetting it, and with the element for switching the motor in and out, in

such a manner that said handle is prevented from performing its motor switching in movement until having been moved to reset the counter.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I shall now proceed to describe. the

same with reference to the annexed more or less diagrammatic drawings, which illustrate mechanism for putting in and out, and for resetting to zero, computing mechanism adapted to be driven by a .motor.

On said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of one embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a detail of said em.- bodiment,

Fig. 2,

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are front elevations of other details of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a second embodiment, of which Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show various details in elevation,

object'to obvi-- position until said means have been removed Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a third embodiment..' The mechanism according to F188. 1 to 6 inclusive comprises acasing I, of which only some I detached parts of the walls have beenshown.

Rotatably supported by one of said walls and by a partition 2 of the casing is a shaft 3 provided with a crank handle 4 outside the casing and,

adjacent to said partition,'with a circular locking disk 5, see Figs. 1 and 2.

cooperating with an antifriction roller I. Said roller is mounted on a rod 8, which projects outwardly through an aperture 9 of casing i and is adapted for lengthwise vertical movement under the control of said cam. A spring I0, whose one end is secured to a fixed part of the casing and whose other end is connected to the switch rod 8, holds the roller I in engagement with the cam face. The upper, bifurcated end of rod 8 engages the shaft 3, thus guiding said rod in its rectilinear vertical movement.

Rod 8 is the element provided for switching in and out the electromotor of a pump for forcing liquid, for instance gasoline, to be dispensed in designated quantities to purchasers at a fllling station, through a liquid meter, it being under- Fig. 3 is a section along the line IlL-Ifi in stood that, when rod 8 assumes its upper position as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the motor is switched out. Since the motor, the pump and the liquid meter may be of any conventional type, they have not been illustrated.

Keyed to the shaft 3 is a ratchet segment H (Figs. 1 and cooperating with a pawl I2 pivoted as at l3. Said pawl is loaded by two on positely acting springs l4 secured as at I5 to fixed parts of the casing i and tending to hold the pawl [2 in its central position. A fixed abutment 3 limit the extent of rotary motion of the ratchet segment H in the one and in the other direction.

Mounted within the casing is a horizontal rod ll (Fig. 1), the right hand side end of which projects outwardly through an aperture l8 in the wall of the casing I and is provided with a knob is. The inner end of rod I! has a longitudinal slot engaged by a fixed guiding pin 2|, and is loaded by a spring 22 secured to a fixed part 23 of the casing. Thus, rod I! can be manually pulled outwards through a distance determined by thelength of slot 26, and, whenreleased, be retracted by spring 22.

The inner end of rod H has a projection 24 cooperating with a projection 25 of a horizontal rod 26, which is the element whereby computing mechanism such as a counter (not shown) can be associated with and released from the liquid meter, and be reset to zero. A spring 21, which is secured to a fixed part 28 of casing I, tends to hold projection 25 in engagement with projection 24. Rod 26 has freedom of longitudinal sliding movement between the terminal position shown in full lines and the terminal position shown in dotted lines.

When rod 26 has moved to the left, it operatively couples the counter with the liquid meter. Its movement to the right releases said coupling and resets the counter to zero. The means associated with rod 26 for performing these functions may be of the conventional type as shown in Fig. 10.

Rod 26 has a recess 29. Pivoted as at 36 to a fixed bracket 3| is a double-armed lever 32, 33. Am 33 is engaged by a spring 34, which is secured as at 35 to the casing and tends to swing the lever 32, 33 in a clockwise direction, so as to hold a projection 36 of arm 32 in engagement with resetting rod 26. If projection 36 engages the unbroken portion of the bottom face of rod 26, as shown in Fig. 1, the free end of lever arm 33 is located in the path of a ratchet 31 carried by locking disk 5 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3).

Ratchet 31 consists of a small plate, which is loosely mounted in a slot 38 of disk Band normally projects with an inclined face 4| from the left hand side face of disk 6 as seen in Fig. 1. It is provided with shoulders 39, which normally engage the opposite disk face under the thrust of a spring blade 46.

It resetting rod 26 has moved to its right hand side end position (Fig. 1) in a manner to be described, projection 36 of rocking lever 32, 33 enters the recess 29 of rod 26 under the action of spring 34. With a view to returning the rocking lever 32, 33 into its original position, disk 6 is provided with a cam 42, the operation of which will also be described hereinafter.

Rod H has a recess 43, into which the unbroken circumferential portion of disk 6 projects if rod I1 assumes its left hand side end position. In its turn, disk 5 has a recess 44 for receiving rod l'l when said recess is in top position.

The mechanism so far described operates as follows.

The 'full lines in Fig. 1 illustrates the positions of the various parts immediately after the 5 quantity of liquid desired by a purchaser has been dispensed. The electromotor for driving the pump has just been switched out, and the counter, still operatively associated with the liquid meter, has not yet been reset to zero. Consequently, the amount dispensed is still exhibited.

If now another quantity of liquid is to be dispensed, the counter should first be reset to zero. To this end, rod I! (Fig. 1) is gripped by the hand and pulled to the right in Fig. 1. During this outward movement of rod ll, projection 25 is engaged by projection 24 so that rod 26 is compelled to follow said movement. As a consequence, rod 26 is moved to its right hand side end-position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, 20 thereby disengaging the counter from the liquid meter and resetting it to zero.

When rod 26 reaches said end position, projection 36 of rocking lever 32, 33 snaps into recess 29, so that rocking lever 32, 33 is swung 25 through a small angular distance in clockwise direction and the end of lever arm 33 is moved out of the path of ratchet 31. If knob I9 is then released, rod Il returns to its left hand side end position under the pull of spring 22, but rod 26 is prevented from following this movement, since it is locked by projection 36.

Obviously, the counter should again be operatively coupled with the meter, before the pump motor is again switched in for dispensing a fresh quantity of liquid.

As stated before, shaft 3, which was previously locked by the cooperation of rocking lever arm 33 with ratchet 31, has already been released by the restricted angular movement in clockwise 0 direction of said lever. Consequently, shaft 3 with the parts secured thereto can now be rotated by means of the handle 4, see Figs. 1 and 6. This rotation can only take place in counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 6, and through an. angular distance of 180, owing to the presence of the abutment i6 (Fig. 5). During the first part of this rotation, cam 42 of disk 6 (Fig. 2) raises the end of lever arm 33 against the pull of spring 34, and returns it to its upper position (Fig. 1), thereby rocking lever 32, 33 in counterclockwise direction and retracting projection 36 from recess 29. Rod 26 is thus released and returns to its left hand side end position (Fig. 1) under the action of spring 21, thereby restoring the operative association of the counter with the liquid meter.

Rotation of shaft 3 by means of handle 4 also has the effect of moving rod 6 down owing to the cooperation of cam 6 (Fig. 4) with antifriction roller 1, so that the pump motor is switched in and the pump started, after the counter has been coupled to the meter.

The pump forces liquid through the meter, and the amount of liquid passing the meter is recorded by the counter. As soon as the received quantity of liquid has been dispensed as designated by the counter, the motor is switched out by rotation of the crank handle 4 in a clockwise direction. During this return motion of the handle 4, the ratchet segment ll'(Fig. 5), the cam 6 (Fig. 4) and the locking disk 6 (Fig. 2) are returned to their initial positions. The return movement of crank 4 is again limited by abutment of ratchet segment ll against pin l6 (Fig. 5). Owing to the return movement of cam 6 (Fig. 4) rod 6 is again raised by the spring I0, whereby the pump motor is switched out and no further liquid is supplied to the meter.

When looking disk (Fig. 2) returns to its initial position, the inclined face H of ratchet 31 (Fig. 3) moves over the rocking lever arm 33, so that the ratchet is forced inward against the thrust of spring 40. As soon as ratchet 37 has reached its initial position, it is again thrown out by said spring so as to lock disk 5 against rotation in counterclockwise direction, until rod II is again pulled outward to reset the counter to zero, whereby, as explained hereinbeiore, proiection 36 or rocking lever 32, 33 snaps into recess 24 and lever arm 33 is moved out of the path of ratchet 31.

Should the crank handle 4 in its movement for stopping the motor, be turned through an angle insufiicient to allow the ratchet 31 (Fig. 3) to be thrown out by spring 40 after having moved past lever arm 38, the motor could again be switched in without the counter having been reset to zero. In this manner, and assuming a fresh amount of liquid to be so dispensed, the amount of liquid previously dispensed, or part of said quantity, could be charged to the purchaser of the fresh quantity. This, however, is prevented by the ratchet mechanism shown in Fig. 5. By virtue of the cooperation of pawl I2 with the ratchet teeth of segment-H, the crank handle 4, when turned in the one or in the other direction, is locked against reverse motion until it has been turned to the full extent. Only thereafter pawl I2 moves out of mesh with the ratchet segment II so as to allow this segment, and consequently the crank handle 4, to be moved in reverse direction.

Recesses 43 and 44 (Figs. 1 and 2) have been provided with a view to preventing the counter from being reset to zero while the motor is running. When crank handle 4 is turned, starting from the position of rest as shown in Fig. 6, the unbroken circumferential edge portion of locking disk 5 projects into recess 43 of rod II, so as to lock said rod against outward movement. If, however, the motor'is switched out, recess 44 of disk 5 is in registry with recess 43 of rod I'I, so that the latter has freedom of lengthwise outward movement.

As already stated before, it is impossible for a fresh quantity or liquid to be dispensed, as long as the counter has not yet been reset to zero, since ratchet 31 (Figs. 1-3) prevents premature rotation of crank handle 4.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 7-10 comprises only on single handle both for switching the pump motor in and out, and for resetting the counter to zero. I

Journaled in bearings of a casing 45 (Fig. 7) is a shaft 46. The right hand side end of said shaft projects from the casing, and secured to said end is a crank handle 41. Keyed to that portion of shaft 46 which extends within the casing are a ratchet disk 48 (Fig. 8), a cam 49 (Fig. 9), and a I Cam groove disk 50 (Fig. 10) governs the movement of a rod 58, which serves for coupling and uncoupling the counter and for resetting the same to zero. Rod 56 projects vertically upwards through an aperture 51 of the casing 45 and engages shaft 45 through an elongated slot 48 so as to be rectilinearly guided. Pivoted to resetting rod 56 is an antiiriction roller 59 engaging a cam groove 60 of disk 50.

The rod 56 carries a rack gear I20a adapted to mesh with a pinion IISa. The pinion 8a is mounted on a shaft IIG of the counter so as to rotate the shaft I I6 during downward movement only of the rod 56 and during upward movement of the rod 58 the pinion II9a is rotated freely by the rack gear I20a without driving the shaft I IS. The counter represented by the hands I05 and I06 is driven by a liquid meter when the clutch parts I I5 and H8 engage 'each other. The clutch part I I5 is biased by a spring I I1 so as to normally engage the disc II8. A lever II! is pivotally mounted at II3 for uncoupling the counter from the liquid meter. The lever II! is provided with a roller ii I which is maintained in engagement with the rod 56 by the spring I II. The upper end of the lever I I2 is provided with pins I No extending into an annular groove in the hub of the disc H5. The rod 56 is provided with a cam IIIia for swinging the lever I I2 so as to uncouple the clutch.

Disk 48 (Fig. 8) cooperates with a pawl N, which is pivoted as at 62 and is secured to a spring blade 64 slidably mounted between two fixed pins 63, in such a manner that spring 64 I always tends to hold pawl iii in a neutral position. In Fig. 7 pawl BI is not visible. Disk 48 is toothed through the greater part of its circumference and carries a laterally projecting pin 65 adapted, on

rotation of said disk in either direction, to abut against a fixed stop 66, the angular distance between the two end positions being 340. The function of the ratchet mechanism shown in Fig. 8 is not principally different from that of the ratchet gear illustrated in Fig. 5.

The device so far described with reference to Figs. 7-10 operates as follows, it being understood that, with the parts in the positions shown, the pump motor is switched out and the counter, after being operatively disengaged from the liquid meter, reset to zero.

If a certain quantity of liquid is to be dispensed, it is necessary first to restore operative engagement between the counter and the liquid meter, and thereafter to switch in the pump motor. To accomplish this, the crank handle 41 and the parts connected thereto, namely the shaft 46, the ratchet disk 48 (Fig. 8), the cam 49 (Fig. 9) and the cam groove disk 50 (Fig. 10) are turned in clockwise direction.

On rotation in said direction of crank handle 41 through an angle of the first part 5011 of cam groove 60 cooperates with roller 59 to raise the resetting rod 56 through a distance as to restore the operative engagement of the counter with the liquid meter. 'During said part of the rotation, cam 49 (Fig. 9) does not impart any movement to switch rod 5|, since the corresponding portion 61 of said cam is concentric with shaft 46.

Further rotation of crank handle 41 through another 170 causes pin 65 to abut against the left hand side of stop 66, and during this part of the rotation antifriction roller 59 (Fig. 10) moves through portion 60b of cam groove 80,

which portion is concentric with shaft 46, so that resetting rod 56 remains stationary, but the corresponding portion 63 of cam 43 cooperates with antifriction roller 54 so as to force switch rod downward against the tension of spring 65. Consequently, the pump motor is switched in and liquid can be dispensed, the quantity thereof being exhibited by the counter.

When the desired quantity of liquid has been dispensed, crank handle 41 is turned in counterclockwise direction, unt'll pin 65 abuts against the right hand side of stop 66. During the first 170 of this reverse movement, switch rod 5I (Fig. 9) is permitted to be raised by spring 55, so that the pump motor is switched out, but no movement is imparted to resetting rod 56 (Fig. which thus remains in the upper position.

Rotation of crank handle 41 through another angular distance of 170 causes resetting rod 58 (Fig. 10) to be moved downward, while switch rod 5| (Fig. 9) remains stationary in its upper position. Said downward movement of resetting rod 56 disengages the counter from the liquid meter when the roller III engages the cam IIOa. The downward movement of the rod 58 also resets the counter to zeroby means of the rack gear Ia and the pinion driving the shaft H6.

The ratchet gear 43, 6I, which is known per se, prevents the pump motor from being again switched in prior to the counter being reset to zero, since it compels the operator to turn the crank handle 41 through the full angular distance of 340 in the one or the other direction before allowing him to move it in the reverse direction.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 11, the numeral IIII designates a crank handle, and I02 is a knob, both provided outside a casing (not shown) enclosing the mechanism to be described hereinafter. Crank handle IOI, which serves for switching in the pump motor by means not illustrated but similar to those described with reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings, is secured to a disk I03 having a notch I04. Knob I 02, by means of which the'pointers I05 and I06 of the counter can be reset to zero as will be explained in further detail hereinafter, is secured to one end of a rod- I01, which is loaded by a spring I01a tending to urge it outward, or to the left, and is provided with a circumferential groove I00. The inner end of rod I01 is hollow and bifurcated. In the position shown, groove I06 is located in the plane of disk I03, so that rod I01 does not prevent said disk from rotation, and disk I03 does not prevent rod I01 from lengthwise movement, since its notch I04 lies in the path of sad rod. However, rotation of disk I03 has the effect of locking rod I01, whereas lengthwise movement of said rod has the effect of locking disk I03.

Rotation of disk I03 in clockwise direction, through an angular distance of 180, as required for switching in the pump motor, is normally prevented by the cooperation of a rocking lever I3I with a spring biased pawl I33 mounted on the disk. Said pawl is constructed substantially as shown in Fig. 3 and need not, therefore, be further described.

Rod I01 is provided with an enlarged portion I09, the inner shoulder I I0 of which is chamfered. An antifriction roller III, which is mounted to one arm II2 of a lever pivoted as at H3, is held in engagement with rod I01. The other, bifurcated arm of said lever is designated by H4 and is provided with pins which extend into an annular groove in a hub portion of a disk I I5, which is slidable on, but locked against rotation relative to, the shaft IIB of pointer I06. A coiled spring II1, which encircles shaft H6 and bears against a shoulder thereof, urges disk II5 into engagement with a coaxial disk 3 adapted to be driven by the liquid meter (not shown). Moreover, spring II1 holds roller III in engagement with shaft I01.

Keyed to shaft I I6 is a mitre wheel I ill in mesh with a second mitre wheel I20. The latter has a diameter twice that of wheel H9 and is keyed to a shaft I2I projecting into an axial bore of rod I01. Shaft I2I has a cross pin I22 adapted to be received by the bifurcated inner end of rod I01.

If rod I01 is pushed inward, against the tension of spring I01a, antifriction roller III will ride up shoulder H0, thereby causing lever H2, H4 to swing about its pivot II3 against the thrust of spring I I1. Owing to this swinging movement, disk II5 disengages disk II8, whereby the operative engagement of shaft II6, of pointer I06, with the liquid meter is released. On further inward movement of rod I01, the bifurcated inner end thereof engages pin I22, so that shaft I2I is compelled to follow any rotary movement that may be imparted to rod I01. If knob I02 is now turned through 360", pointers I05, I06 are thereby reset to zero by means well known and symbolized by the mitre wheels IIS, I20.

In their zero positions, both pointers are locked, the one (I06) through a disk I23 having a notch I24 and secured to shaft H6, the other (I05) through a disk I25 having a notch I23 and secured to the extended hub I28, through which pointer I05 is mounted on shaft II6.

Disks I23 and I25 cooperate with dogs I29 and I30, respectively, secured to the rocking lever I3I hereinbefore referred to. Said lever is pivoted as at I32 and its right hand side arm is engaged by a spring I21, which tends to swing the lever in counterclockwise direction and to hold the dogs I28, I30 in engagement with the circumferences of disks I23 and I25, respectively. If the pointers I05 and I06 reach their zero positions, dogs I29, I30 enter into the notches I24 and I26, respectively, thereby allowing iever I3I to swing through a small angular distance in counterclockwise direction under the pull of spring I21. Owing to this swinging movement, the left hand side end of lever I3I is moved out of the path of pawl I33, whereby disk I03 would have freedom of rotation in clockwise directiomif rod I01 had not been pushed inward to the right so that its unbroken portion lies in notch I04 so as to look said disk.

If knob I02 is now released, rod I01 returns to its initial position under the pull of spring I01a, so that its bifurcated inner end is retracted from pin I22 so as to release the operative association of knob I02 with the counter. Only thereafter, antifriction roller III moves down the chamfered shoulder IIO under the thrust of spring II1, so that disk I I5 is urged into engagement with disk IIII, thereby restoring the operative association between the meter and the pointers I05, I06 in their zero positions.

I21, thus retracting dogs I23, I30 from the notches I24 and I26, respectively. and releasing pointers I05, I06. Further rotation of the crank handle It! in clockwise direction causes the pump motor to be switched in.

It is pertinent here toremark that disk I is associated with means such as described with reference to Fig. 5, preventing it, during clockwise movement, from being turned in the reverse direction until the disk has performed its full excursion. If, thereafter, the disk is turned in counterclockwise direction with a view to the switching out of the pump motor, spring pawl I33 will, at the end of said return movement, slide past the left hand side end of rocking lever Ill and be depressed thereby. Immediately thereafter, however, pawi I33 resumes its normal position wherein it locks disk I03 against rotation in clockwise direction.

What I claim is:

1.- In motor driven fluid pumping apparatus having a meter for measuring the fluid pumped and a counter coupled to the meter adapted to be uncoupled and returned to zero, a shaft, 9, first cam driven by the shaft, a second cam rotated by the shaft, a rod for uncoupling the counter from the meter and returning the counter to zero, means carried by the rod engaging the first cam for moving said rod to a position to couple the counter to the meter upon initial rotation of the shaft, a bar for starting'and stopping the motor, means carried by the bar engaging the second cam for moving said bar to start the motor upon further rotation of the shaft, stops limiting the rotation of said shaft, and means preventing reverse rotation of said shaft intermediate of said stops.

2. In motor driven fluid pumping apparatus having a meter for measuring the fluid pumped and a counter coupled to the meter adapted to be uncoupled and returned to zero, a shaft, a cam driven by the shaft having a spiral groove therein merging into a groove concentric with the axis of-the shaft, 0. rod, means carried by the rod extending into said groove whereby the counter is uncoupled from the meter and returned to zero when said means is arranged in the spiral portion of said groove, a crank for rotating said shaft,

a second cam driven by the shaft, a bar for starting and stopping the motor, means carried by the bar engaging the second cam for moving the bar to start the motor when the first mentioned means passes into the concentric portion of said groove, and means preventing reversed rotation of said shaft from positions intermediate of a substantially complete revolution thereof.

3. In motor driven fluid pumping apparatus having a meter for measuring the fluid pumped and a counter coupled to the meter adapted to be uncoupled and returned to zero, a shaft, a first cam driven by the shaft, a second cam rotated by the shaft, a rod for uncoupling the counter from the meter and returning the counter to zero in one end position thereof, means carried by the rod engaging the first cam for mov ing the rod to a position to couple the counter to the meter upon an initial angular rotation of the shaft, 2. bar for starting and stopping the motor, means carried by the bar engaging the second cam for moving said bar to a position to start the motor upon further rotation of the shaft, means limiting the rotation of said shaft to substantially one revolution, and ratchet means preventing reversed rotation of said shaft from a position intermediate one revolution thereof.

JOHAN LODER. 

